Newborn rhino calf saved from drowning

A newborn male rhino calf was spotted in swift water unable to move inside Kaziranga National Park and rescued by the staff of the Balidubi anti-poaching camp, according to Selim Ahmed, a Range Forest Officer. An animal rescue team, led by Dr. Panjit Basumatary, rushed to Agoratoli Range and conducted a medical check-up on the rescued baby rhino. After initial assessment by the team, they moved the calf to the IFAW Wildlife Rescue Center for further care.

“The neonate calf has severe dehydration, but thankfully there were no external injuries or abnormalities. The calf will take time to regain normal body condition and has been kept under observation for 24 hours,” said Dr. Basumatary. He has been shifted to a large animal nursery where vets will look after him around the clock until he stabilizes.

The team to date has attended to 33 cases of displaced rhino calves. Recently, three orphaned rhino calves hand-raised at the center were radio collared and released for acclimatization in a boma at Manas National Park and three older rhinos that have gone back to the wild are now breeding, thus repopulating Manas to bring back its glory.